A conventional convection conveyor oven uses suction pressure to induce the hot air from within an oven chamber to upper and lower negatively pressurized plenums in fluid communication with hot air circulation fans. This method of air capture is only effective in capturing the air layers close to the surfaces of the return air plenums. Since the effective length of vacuum influence is short, air moving out horizontally near the middle of the conveyor opening is not captured and becomes lost heat via an inlet and/or an outlet of the oven chamber.
There is a need for a conveyor oven with improved heat loss performance.